Massachusetts Hospitals Ranked First to Worst

By CHARLENE ARSENAULT (Patch Staff)

When it comes to patient care, a majority of Massachusetts hospitals rank at least average or better.

The latest Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-Hospital Compare list was compiled after researchers looked at data for nearly 5,000 hospitals across the country. The results of surveys from patients were also used to rank the centers in regard to in-patient care.

In the latest report, a number of Massachusetts hospitals ranked well, with more than 20 hospitals garnering either four or five stars. Only four facilities managed to earn the coveted 5-star ranking: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, New England Baptist Hospital, Martha’s Vinehard Hospital and Fairview Hospital.

Six hospitals in the state earned only one-star rankings.

Poor scores can result in lower reimbursement rates from Medicare under the government’s value-based purchasing program, according to the survey.

CMS, a consumer-oriented website that provides information on how well hospitals provide recommended care to their patients, updated its rankings on Oct. 8, which are based on patient responses to Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys between Jan.1 and Dec. 31, 2014. Patients receive these at the end of their care and are asked to answer questions on the quality of the experience they received from each hospital.

Here’s the full list of the latest CMS rankings for Massachusetts:

• Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, 5 Stars
• New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, 5 Stars
• Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Oak Bluffs, 5 Stars
• Fairview Hospital, Great Barrington, 5 Stars
• Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, 4 Stars
• Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, 4 Stars
• Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke, 4 Stars
• Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, Ware, 4 Stars
• Clinton Hospital Association, Clinton, 4 Stars
• Noble Hospital, Westfield, 4 Stars
• Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, 4 Stars
• Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, 4 Stars
• Emerson Hospital, West Concord, 4 Stars
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, 4 Stars
• Milford Regional Medical Center, Milford, 4 Stars
• South Shore Hospital, South Weymouth, 4 Stars
• Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, 4 Stars
• Winchester Hospital, Winchester, 4 Stars
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, 4 Stars
• Tufts Medical Cneter, Boston, 4 Stars
• Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Boston, 4 Stars
• Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, 4 Stars
• Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro, 3 Stars
• The Cooley Dickenson Hospital, Northampton, 3 Stars
• Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield, 3 Stars
• Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge, 3 Stars
• Saint Anne’s Hospital, Fall River, 3 Stars
• Anna Jaques Hospital, Newburyport, 3 Stars
• Baystate Wing Hospital and Medical Centers, Palmer, 3 Stars
• Beverly Hospital Corporation, Beverly, 3 Stars
• Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, 3 Stars
• Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital, 3 Stars
• Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, 3 Stars
• Mercy Medical Center, Springfield, 3 Stars
• Heywood Hospital, Gardner, 3 Stars
• Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Milton, 3 Stars
• Falmouth Hospital, Falmouth, 3 Stars
• St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester, 3 Stars
• Healthalliance Hospitals, Leominster, 2 Stars
• Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence, 2 Stars
• Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, 2 Stars
• Boston Medical Center Corporation, Boston, 2 Stars
• North Shore Medical Center, Salem, 2 Stars
• St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Brighton, 2 Stars
• Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Plymouth, 2 Stars
• Hallmark Health System, Melrose, 2 Stars
• Southcoast Hospital Group, Fall River, 2 Stars
• Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, 2 Stars
• Holy Family Hospital, Methuen, 2 Stars
• UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, 2 Stars
• Metrowest Medical Center, Framingham, 2 Stars
• Athol Memorial Hospital, Athol, 2 Stars
• Carney Hospital, Boston, 1 Star
• Marlborough Hospital, Marlborough, 1 Star
• Morton Hospital, Taunton, 1 Star
• Nashoba Valley Medical Center, Ayer, 1 Star
• Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton, 1 Star
• Norwood Hospital, Norwood, 1 Star

Sign up for Danvers Patch news alerts, follow Danvers Patch on Facebook and send news tips to linda.bock@patch.com.

Image via Shutterstock